Airborne Particulate Matter Samples Research Articles

Collaborative monitoring study of airborne particulate matters among seven Asian countries

Seven Asian countries have been collaborating in collecting airborne particulate matter (APM) in their individual countries and analyzing them by neutron activation analysis as a common analytical tool. APM samples were collected into two fractions of fine and coarse grains (PM2 and PM2-10, respectively). Analytical data were compared from several viewpoints such as particulate sizes, locality of sampling sites (either urban or rural) and geographical location of participating countries. Chemical composition and their monthly variations as well as mass concentrations appear to be highly characteristic for individual sampling sites, suggesting that NAA data are suitable for evaluating the air quality in each site.

The new external beam facility for environmental studies at the Tandetron accelerator of LABEC

At the new 3MV Tandetron accelerator of the LABEC laboratory of INFN in Florence, an external beam facility fully dedicated to measurements of elemental composition of atmospheric aerosol has been installed. The experimental set-up hitherto used for this kind of applications has been upgraded with the introduction of a silicon drift detector and of a beam current monitor system based on the backscattering of protons on the extraction window. The new facility will be presented, together with some methodological results obtained so far for the analysis of airborne particulate matter samples collected on quartz fiber filters.

Corrigendum to: Determination of Selective Quinones and Quinoid Radicals in Airborne Particulate Matter and Vehicular Exhaust Particles

Environmental Context.�Fine and coarse airborne particulate matter (PM) has been linked to increases in respiratory diseases and lung cancer. PM contains a variety of compounds, such as metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro-PAHs, and quinones adsorbed in a carbonaceous polymeric matrix. Although quinones are found in small amounts in PM, they are capable of redox cycling and in the presence of oxygen catalyse the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems. ROS are responsible for the induction of oxidative stress, especially oxidative damage to cellular proteins and DNA. This paper investigated quantitatively selected quinones and hydroquinones by high performance liquid chromatography in various airborne PM samples. Also, we investigated the presence of persistent semiquinone radicals in solid samples and quinoid radicals in aqueous extracts of alkaline solution by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Abstract.�In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the study of the health effects of respirable particulate matter (PM) because of its deposition in the human lungs and adverse health effects. Analysis of PM content focused on substances of toxicological importance, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro-PAHs, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alkyl-substituted benzenes and naphthalenes, transition metals and various quinones. Recent studies shifted their attention to quinones and their toxicological role in PM. Quinones can be transformed into their semiquinones, which undergo redox cycling and reduce oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems, resulting in the induction of oxidative stress, especially oxidative damage to cellular components and DNA. In the present study, the presence of five quinones, 1,2-benzenediol (catechol) and 1,4-benzenediol (hydroquinone) in various PM samples was identified and measured quantitatively by high performance liquid chromatography. Mean concentrations of individual target quinones ranged from 15-140 ng mg-1 in diesel and gasoline exhaust particles to 1.5-60 ng mg-1 (or 150-1100 pg m-3) in airborne PM (total suspended particulates, PM aerodynamic diameter 10 μm, PM aerodynamic diameter 2.1 μm) samples. Precision (repeatability and reproducibility) varied from 5 to 15%. Also, examples of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra for the single broad unstructured signal are presented, corresponding to the persistent stable semiquinone radicals of solid samples of PM, and the formation of quinoid radicals in aqueous extracts of PM samples in air-saturated carbonate-buffered solution, pH 9.5-10.

Determination of Selective Quinones and Quinoid Radicals in Airborne Particulate Matter and Vehicular Exhaust Particles

Environmental Context.Fine and coarse airborne particulate matter (PM) has been linked to increases in respiratory diseases and lung cancer. PM contains a variety of compounds, such as metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro-PAHs, and quinones adsorbed in a carbonaceous polymeric matrix. Although quinones are found in small amounts in PM, they are capable of redox cycling and in the presence of oxygen catalyse the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems. ROS are responsible for the induction of oxidative stress, especially oxidative damage to cellular proteins and DNA. This paper investigated quantitatively selected quinones and hydroquinones by high performance liquid chromatography in various airborne PM samples. Also, we investigated the presence of persistent semiquinone radicals in solid samples and quinoid radicals in aqueous extracts of alkaline solution by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Abstract.In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the study of the health effects of respirable particulate matter (PM) because of its deposition in the human lungs and adverse health effects. Analysis of PM content focused on substances of toxicological importance, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro-PAHs, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alkyl-substituted benzenes and naphthalenes, transition metals and various quinones. Recent studies shifted their attention to quinones and their toxicological role in PM. Quinones can be transformed into their semiquinones, which undergo redox cycling and reduce oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological systems, resulting in the induction of oxidative stress, especially oxidative damage to cellular components and DNA. In the present study, the presence of five quinones, 1,2-benzenediol (catechol) and 1,4-benzenediol (hydroquinone) in various PM samples was identified and measured quantitatively by high performance liquid chromatography. Mean concentrations of individual target quinones ranged from 15–140 ng mg–1 in diesel and gasoline exhaust particles to 1.5–60 ng mg–1 (or 150–1100 pg m–3) in airborne PM (total suspended particulates, PM aerodynamic diameter 10 μm, PM aerodynamic diameter 2.1 μm) samples. Precision (repeatability and reproducibility) varied from 5 to 15%. Also, examples of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra for the single broad unstructured signal are presented, corresponding to the persistent stable semiquinone radicals of solid samples of PM, and the formation of quinoid radicals in aqueous extracts of PM samples in air-saturated carbonate-buffered solution, pH 9.5–10.

Particulate matter characterization at a coastal site in south-eastern Italy

Several samples of airborne particulate matter (PM), collected from 6th November to 6th December 2003 at a coastal site in the south-east of Italy, have been analyzed by different techniques to characterize elemental composition and morphological properties of the inorganic PM fraction and obtain preliminary results on anthropogenic contributions. Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, V, Pb, Ti, Ca and Zn mass concentrations, evaluated by an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer, account for up to l% of the bulk PM mass in the investigated samples. According to geochemical calculations, Ca, Al, Fe and Mn are predominantly of crustal origin, while Cr, Cu, Pb, V, Ti and Zn heavy metals are of anthropogenic origin. Ion chromatography analyses have identified sulfate (SO(4)(2-)) nitrate (NO(3)(-)), sodium (Na(+)), and ammonium (NH(4)(+)) as the main ionic components accounting for up to 38% of the total PM mass and up to 90% of the total ionic mass. Besides ion chromatography, X-ray energy dispersive (EDX) microanalyses have revealed the high variability of Cl: its weight concentration varies from about 24% to below the detection limit (>or=0.5%) in the investigated samples. The marked anti-correlation between the excess of S and the Cl/Na ratio has allowed inferring that reactions between sea salt particles and acidic sulfates, which liberate HCl gas to the atmosphere leaving particles enriched in non-sea-salt sulfates, have significantly contributed to chloride depletion. Morphological analyses by scanning electron microscopy have shown that about 90% of the total sampled particles have a diameter <or=5 microm.

Analysis of urban dust (PM2/PM10-2) in Daejeon city by instrumental neutron activation analysis

As part of an air pollution monitoring study, airborne particulate matter (PM2/PM10-2) samples were collected from 2000 to 2003 at two sampling sites in an urban region, Daejeon, the middle of Korea. Mass concentrations of both fine and coarse fractions and that of the black carbon in the fine particles were measured using the Gent stacked filter unit sampler and the smoke stain reflectometer, respectively. In the collected samples the concentrations of 24 elements were analyzed using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Monitored data were investigated for their temporal trends under different environmental conditions and their seasonal correlation patterns. Crustal enrichment factors were also estimated to establish the contribution between anthropogenic and crustal origin. Patterns for airborne particle matter (APM) and elemental concentrations, seasonal variation of some marker elements were investigated. The results can be applied for the investigation of further air pollution sources and for the evaluation of air quality.

Source identification and long-term monitoring of airborne particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10) in an urban region of Korea

For the identification of air pollution sources, about 500 airborne particulate matter (PM2.5and PM10) samples were collected by using a Gent air sampler and a polycarbonate filter in an urban region in the middle of Korea from 2000 to 2003. The concentrations of 25 elements in the samples were measured by using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Receptor modeling was performed on the air monitoring data by using the positive matrix factorization (PMF2) method. According to this analysis, the existence of 6 to 10PMF factors, such as metal-alloy, oil combustion, diesel exhaust, coal combustion, gasoline exhaust, incinerator, Cu-smelter, biomass burning, sea-salt, and soil dust were identified.

Determination of metals, metalloids and non-volatile ions in airborne particulate matter by a new two-step sequential leaching procedure: Part B: Validation on equivalent real samples

Due to the lack of proper standard materials for airborne particulate matter collected on filters, a validation scheme was developed, which is here described, to the aim of testing the application of leaching procedures performing both ions and elemental determinations on real samples of airborne particulate matter collected on filters. The scheme has been developed on a two-step leaching method (extraction in acetate buffer and acid dissolution of residue) previously developed by authors and consists of two series of tests to be run on n pairs of equivalent parallel samples filter-collected. The first series of tests aims to assess on real samples the equivalence between results obtained by the tested procedure with those obtained by the EMEP ions extraction and the EN 12341 standard methods, whereas the second aims to evaluate the reproducibility of analytical results of elemental determination in the leached and dissolved fractions; in the latter case data reliability is also evaluated as a function of the environment-intrinsic variability of real samples. To avoid errors due to sampling differences data from filter pairs were standardized both by gravimetric determination of loaded filters, according to the EN 12341 standard and by the rate [SO 4 2−] A/[SO 4 2−] B, where [SO 4 2−] indicate the soluble sulphate concentration in the extract; in the latter case values improved for all elements and in both fractions. Results of equivalence with standard methods and reproducibility tests are evaluated as mean relative percentage differences (Δ%) and percentage elements recoveries ( R%). The application of the validation scheme to the two-step leaching method is here discussed for non-volatile ions and for 17 elements detected on 22 pairs of low-volume collected PM 10 samples on Teflon filters.

Capillary electrophoresis determinative and GC‐MS confirmatory method for water‐soluble organic acids in airborne particulate matter and vehicle emission

Urban fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) and vehicle emission samples were studied for water-soluble low-molecular-weight carboxylic acids using CE with indirect UV detection. Further identification of these acids was achieved using GC-MS as their butyl esters (after derivatization with BF3/butanol). Several dicarboxylic acids in the range C2-C10 including straight-chain, branched-chain, cis- and trans-unsaturated, and aromatic acids were confirmed by GC-MS. In addition, aromatic acids such as benzoate, phthalate, terephthalate, isophthalate, and 4-methylphtalate were present in such samples, but some of these were not well resolved by the used CE method. Oxocarboxylic acids (Cn(w) with n > 4) were also identified by GC-MS but not determined by CE due to lack of standards. The rapidity and simplicity of the CE method were clearly demonstrated, and the method was observed to be advantageous for routine monitoring of water-soluble organic acids in airborne PM2.5 and vehicle emission at low microg/L levels.

Characterization of Ambient Airborne Particles by Energy-Filtered Transmission Electron Microscopy

This article demonstrates that energy-filtered trairsmission electron microscop, (EFTEM) can be a valuable tool for the identification and analysis of nanometer-sized airborne particles. Ambient airborne particulate matter (PM) samples collected at Lexington, Kentucky were investigated using EFTEEM in combination with electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), energg-dispersive Xray spectroscopy (EDS), selected area electron diffraction(SAED), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HARTEM). EFTEM provides a fast and convenient way to map the distribution of carbonaceous aggregates, which cnstitute a significant fraction of the samples. Sulfur-bearing particles are common in the submicron inorganic fraction. Sulfur elemental maps were obtained from some sulfur-beariang particles, and the oxidation state of sulfur was revealed to be primarily S(VI) as sulfate from the electron energy-loss near-edge fine structures of the sulfur L-edge. Other types of inorganic particles, such as silicon-bearin...

Comparative study of the formation of oxidative damage marker 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) adduct from the nucleoside 2′-deoxyguanosine by transition metals and suspensions of particulate matter in relation to metal content and redox reactivity

An association between exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and increased incidence of mortality and morbidity due to lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases has been demonstrated by recent epidemiological studies. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially hydroxyl radicals, generated by PM, have been suggested by many studies as an important factor in the oxidative damage of DNA by PM. The purpose of this study was to characterize quantitatively hydroxyl radical generation by various transition metals in the presence of H2O2 in aqueous buffer solution (pH 7.4) and hydroxylation of 2′-deoxyguanosine (dG) to 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) under similar conditions. The order of metals' redox reactivity and hydroxyl radical production was Fe(II), V(IV), Cu(I), Cr(III), Ni(II), Co(II), Pb(II), Cd(II). Then, we investigated the generation of hydroxyl radicals in the presence of H2O2 by various airborne PM samples, such as total suspended particulate (TSP), PM10, PM2.5 (PM with aerodynamic diameter 10 and 2.5 μm), diesel exhaust particles (DEP), gasoline exhaust particles (GEP) and woodsmoke soot under the same conditions. When suspensions of PMs were incubated with H2O2 and dG at pH 7.4, all particles induced hydroxylation of dG and formation of 8-OHdG in a dose–dependent increase. Our findings demonstrated that PM's hydroxyl radical (HO√) generating ability and subsequent dG hydroxylation is associated with the concentration of water-soluble metals, especially Fe and V and other redox or ionizable transition metals and not their total metal content, or insoluble metal oxides, via a Fenton-driven reaction of H2O2 with metals. Additionally, we observed, by Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), that PM suspensions in the presence of H2O2 generated radical species with dG, which were spin–trapped by 2-methyl-2-nitroso–propane (MNP).

Application of Lead Isotopic Ratios in Atmospheric Pollution Studies in the Valley of Mexico

Lead isotopic studies of airborne particulate matter, gasoline and other environmental samples have been carried out to determine possible sources of lead pollution in the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico. 206Pb/207Pb ratio in gasoline was 1.1395 ± 0.0165 and 1.071 ± 0.008 for industrially-derived lead as a mean. Natural lead is more radiogenic with values from 1.2082 ± 0.022 to 1.211 ± 0.108. The measured Pb isotopic signature of airborne particulate matter reflects the relative importance of each of these sources. The 206Pb/207Pb ratio was 1.179 ± 0.105 as a mean. The relative importance of gasoline has decreased, and, therefore, other sources (natural and industrial) can be identified by means of isotopic studies. This is a consequence of the introduction of unleaded gasoline as mandaped by strictest environmental regulation.

Analysis of mutagenic activity of airborne particulate matter, standard reference materials and reference compounds using base pair-specific Salmonella typhimurium tester strains

The mutagenicity profiles of organic extracts of airborne dust samples from Mannheim, Germany, and two standard reference materials (SRM) as well as eight compounds with different chemical properties were investigated using tester strains Salmonella typhimurium TA700 x (Ames II Assay). Each strain of this series carries a unique missense mutation in the histidine operon and is reverted by only one specific base substitution out of six possible changes. Mutation patterns of eight compounds with different modes of genotoxic action reveal significant differences. Samples of airborne particulate matter (APM) from an industrialized town in Germany (Mannheim) were collected for five consecutive days once a month for 1 year using an automatic high-volume air sampler. Samples taken from Monday to Friday were Soxhlet-extracted and prepared according to standard methods. Although the threshold limit for the least active strains is not triggered by all samples, it can be concluded that mutation patterns of the samples do not vary between different seasons. Standard reference materials (SRMs) were prepared and tested using the same methods. SRMs and APM samples from Mannheim reveal similar mutagenicity profiles in TA700 x strains. The comparison of the mutagenicity profiles of air dust extracts from Mannheim and the SRMs, respectively, with reference compounds investigated so far shows some similarities although the patterns do not fit perfectly. Mutagenicity profiles of TA700 x-activity of nitro-aromatic compounds published so far are similar to those of APM collected in Mannheim, Germany, as well as to standard reference materials 1648 and 1649.

Analysis of inorganic mercury species associated with airborne particulate matter/aerosols: method development.

This paper describes a method for speciation of Hg associated with airborne particulate matter. This method uses a mini-sampler for sample collection and analysis, thermal desorption for separating Hg species, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for identification and quantification of Hg. Coal fly ash spiked with different Hg compounds (e.g. Hg0, HgCl2, HgO, and HgS) was used for qualitative calibration. A standard reference material with a certified value for Hg concentration was used to evaluate the method. When the temperature of the furnace was programmed at a linear rate of increase of 50 degrees min(-1), different Hg compounds could clearly be separated. Three airborne particulate matter samples were collected in parallel in Toronto, ON, Canada and analyzed using this method. Reproducible results were obtained and Hg0, HgCl2, HgO, and HgS species from these samples were detected.

14C measurement for size-fractionated airborne particulate matters

A methodology to measure 14C/12C of the size-fractionated airborne particulate matter (APM) collected on large quartz substrates in a cascade impactor was established to elucidate the size-fractionated source–receptor relationship of the urban APM in Tokyo. The graphite for the 14C measurement by the accelerator mass spectrometry was successfully produced from the resultant gas when the APM sample was combusted with increased amounts of 5.0 g copper (II) oxide, 2.5 g copper metal and 0.1 g silver foil in a specially designed large volume combustion tube. In our preliminary field investigation, the percent modern carbon (pMC) values of the size-fractionated APM samples ranged from 37.7 to 65.1 and decreased with particle size, indicating the importance of fossil fuel origins for finer particles. Approximately 40 pMC for the APM of d<1.1 μm was, however, appreciably higher than our prior expectation. This indicated biomass carbons also contributed significantly to the fine particles in Tokyo.

Chemical characterization of ambient particulate matter near the World Trade Center: elemental carbon, organic carbon, and mass reconstruction.

Concentrations of elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon matter (OM), particulate matter less than 2.5 microm (PM2.5), reconstructed soil, trace element oxides, and sulfate are reported from four locations near the World Trade Center (WTC) complex for airborne particulate matter (PM) samples collected from September 2001 through January 2002. Across the four sampling sites, daily mean concentrations ranged from 1.5 to 6.8 microg/m3 for EC, from 10.2 to 31.4 microg/m3 for OM, and from 22.6 to 66.2 microg/m3 for PM2.5. Highest concentrations of PM species were generally measured north and west of the WTC complex. Total carbon matter and sulfate constituted the largest fraction of reconstructed PM2.5 concentrations. Concentrations of PM species across all sites decreased from the period when fires were present at the WTC complex (before December 19, 2001) to the period after the fires. Averaged over all sites, concentrations decreased by 25.6 microg/m3 for PM2.5, 2.7 microg/m3 for EC, and 9.2 microg/m3 for OM from the fire period to after fire period.

Impact of Unleaded Gasoline Introduction on the Concentration of Lead in the Air of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Airborne particulate matter (APM) samples collected at a semiresidential area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the periods of 1994 and 1997–2000 have been studied to assess the impact of the use of unleaded gasoline in Bangladesh. According to scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray microanalyzer studies, lead (Pb) was found as Pb sulfates and Pb halides in motor-vehicle exhaust particles, whose diameters were some hundreds of nanometers. No significant changes in the annual averages of APM mass and black carbon concentrations have been observed over the period. The yearly average Pb concentration reached a maximum value of 370 ng/m3 in the particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 µm fraction in 1998. In 2000, the concentration decreased to approximately one-third (106 ng/m3) of the high earlier values after the introduction of unleaded gasoline in 1999. A significant lowering of the blood Pb level of the population over next few years is expected as a result of this great decrease in Pb concentration.

Characterization of airborne individual particles collected in an urban area, a satellite city and a clean air area in Beijing, 2001

Collection campaigns for PM10 and PM2.5 have been conducted in a northwestern Beijing urban area in monthly periods over 2001, with 7 days collection per month. The samples were also collected simultaneously in a satellite city, Nankou, and a clean air area near the Ming Tombs Reservoir (MTR) over the domestic heating (March) and non-heating (July/August) periods in 2001 (both for one week). To assist the analysis, three types of ‘source’ particulate matter (PM) samples were taken. These consisted of coal combustion ash collected on top of a coke oven; dust storm particles collected during dust storm periods; and roadside PM10 collected on a major road in Beijing. Monitoring results reveal that, in the urban area, particle mass levels were higher in winter than in other seasons. The 1-week/month average PM10 mass levels were over 250 ?gm?3 in winter. The particle mass levels in the satellite city were slightly lower than those at the urban site, and the lowest mass levels occurred at the MTR site. The morphology and chemical composition of individual airborne particles were determined by scanning electron microscopy, and image analysis was employed to study the number-size distributions. The number-size distributions of mineral particles showed that those in the Asia-Dust storm (ADS) collections are mostly coarser than 1 ?m, while mineral particles of the non-ADS collections are predominately finer than 1 ?m. The particles in the respirable (<2.5 ?m) fraction accounted for 99% of the total particles in airborne PM samples. Soot aggregates were generally the most abundant components in airborne PM samples at all three sites. The fly ash (spherical) particles at the MTR site were significantly enriched over the heating period, indicating a domestic coal-burning source.

Recent developments in receptor modeling

AbstractReceptor modeling is the application of data analysis methods to elicit information on the sources of air pollutants. Typically, it employs methods of solving the mixture resolution problem using chemical composition data for airborne particulate matter samples. In such cases, the outcome is the identification of the pollution source types and estimates of the contribution of each source type to the observed concentrations. It can also involve efforts to identify the locations of the sources through the use of ensembles of air parcel back trajectories. In recent years, there have been improvements in the factor analysis methods that are applied in receptor modeling as well as easier application of trajectory methods. These developments are reviewed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

ANALYSIS OF AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER COLLECTED AFTER AN ERUPTION EPISODE OF THE POPOCATÉPETL VOLCANO

Samples of airborne particulate matter were collected in four sites along an east-west line from the Popocatépetl volcano after the eruption episode of June 30, 1997. The Popocatépetl volcano, with variable activity since it was known, is currently under low but continuous activity prolonged for almost one decade, with occasional moderate eruption episodes producing mainly fumes, ashes and volcanic dusts. The main objective of this study is to determine whether or not some elements have increased their presence in the atmosphere as a result of the volcanic activity, and also if some others, not usually found in urban aerosols, have appeared because of the same reason. In addition, the information obtained will be a source of scientific data for health risk assessment of the population exposed to volcanic emanations. The sample collection was performed on alternate days from July 10 to August 13 1997 in Puebla and Atlixco in Puebla State. Tlalpan within Mexico City, and Salazar in the State of Mexico. Two samples a day were taken in two periods: 7-19 h and 19-7 h. The samplers separated particles into two particle size fractions. PM25 and PM15. Elemental concentrations were determined by PIXE and the results obtained showed increased concentrations of mainly Ti and Fe in all sampling sites, thus indicating a long range transportation of volcanic dusts in both particle size fractions. Concentrations of Ti were found clearly above the average values of urban areas such as Mexico City, and although this element can be considered of low toxicity, the biological, metabolic and toxic effects on human beings are still under investigation.